It’s December 1st and it’s time look ahead to 2018. We put together five destinations that are proving to be popular this coming year.

Angra dos Reis, Brazil
In 2016, Brazil hosted the Summer Olympics and the influx of people visiting for the games turned into travel into outlying cities. The tourism board of Brazil is hoping to bring back the waiver to encourage another boom in tourism. A place well worth checking out is Angra dos Reis. This popular destination is where many of the country’s elite go to escape the crowds and own beach villas in the area. There are plans to open a 54-suite luxury hotel in the area as well as a golf course, more restaurants, and a marina.

Belgrade, Serbia
Belgrade has been steadily growing since the end of the Yugoslav wars. The areas once covered in damage from fighting and graffiti has become restaurants and bars. The nightlife is vibrant and there are numerous night markets to take advantage of the local street foods. One of the biggest draws for tourists is the growing craft-beer brewing that has been showing no signs of slowing down.

Bermuda
Bermuda hasn’t been on any travel lists for a few years due to a financial crisis that left their tourism in a stagnant state. Bermuda has been shaking off the dive their tourism industry took and has been working on rebuilding and attracting travelers back to their island nation. Along with an improved economy, Bermuda is performing a 100-million dollar overhaul of the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, the islands 132-year old grand attraction for guests to stay in. Other luxury hotels are also getting modern makeovers to ensure the tourist industry gets back on its feet and stays strong.

Cambodian Coast
Want to do something off the beaten path that is also beautiful?
Cambodia has some of Southeast Asia’s most intriguing islands to visit, but getting to them has been difficult involving hours of travel. Now direct flights are being arranged from Ho Chi Minh City. Luxury spas are among the jewels you can find on Krabey Island and on Koh Russey, you can dine on traditional Khmer cuisine.

Guayaquil, Ecuador
Many travelers go through Guayaquil on their way to the Galápagos, but it is worth exploring on its own. New luxury hotels have opened to entice travelers to stay a little longer and enjoy what this country has to offer. There is also a wildlife sanctuary set on a former cacao plantation. The capital city has been modernized with playgrounds, galleries, museums, gardens, and even a Ferris wheel.

Search around at sites like Kayak for deals on international travel fares. For many of these destinations you will need a valid passport only, no travel visa required. If you aren’t sure, talk to us and we can tell you what documentation you’ll need for your destination country.

For over 60 years, a railway for travelers extending from London to Tokyo has been dreamed of. After WWII, there were too many animosities between countries. In 2013, the plan began to heat up again and now Putin has been discussing with Japanese officials a plan which would involve constructing a 28-mile bridge that would allow trains to cross the East Sea.

In 2013, the plan began to heat up again and now Putin has been discussing with Japanese officials a plan which would involve constructing a 28-mile bridge that would allow trains to cross the East Sea.

According to The Independent, “After leaving London, trains would be passing through Germany and Poland before entering Eastern Europe. Passengers would also pass through the Siberian Mountains before reaching the proposed bridge, a blueprint for the route shows. Reportedly keen to boost investment in the eastern parts of Russia, Putin is in serious talks with Japanese officials to kickstart plans.”

Currently, travelers can take the Trans-Siberian railway from Beijing through Mongolia and onto Moscow, arrival time is 15 days. There are no current estimations for how long the London to Tokyo train will take, but high-speed railway is being proposed.

Drone photography has become very popular, particularly for candid wildlife viewing. For every responsible drone operator, there suddenly appeared one that was irresponsible as heck. From breathtaking videos that didn’t disturb a herd of elephants quietly eating leaves turned into a frightened herd of wildebeest stopping their yearly migratory river crossing and abandoning calves at a riverbank with irresponsible drone operators buzzing their cameras over animals heads and frightening them.

Several countries in Africa have banned drones and imposed large fines on anyone using one, especially in national parks which are now considered no-fly zones.

Botswana and Kenya allow drones but only if you apply for a permit and your drone must not disturb the animals in any way or you may face fines and equipment seizure.

Many private reserves allow drones but you normally need to hire your own vehicle and you may not disturb the animals on the reserve or other guests. Most reserves require that if your drone crashes, you may not retrieve it.

Texas Tower processes U.S. passports and can obtain visas for African countries you may want to fly a drone in. Call us today to get started 713-874-1420.

The actual beginning of every trip whether business or pleasure begins with planning. Then getting your tickets. Once you have your destination, make sure your passport is up-to-date and then if you need a travel visa, we can show you how to skip making a trip to the embassy.

How getting a passport through Texas Tower works:
Depending on the type of service you need, we have set up a specific passport page to assist our clients. We have a dedicated page for each type of passport request, set up with easy to follow instructions and what forms we need from you to process your passport request.

If you have any questions, we pride ourselves on the fact during business hours you will always talk to a person, never an automated service. We like to deliver a one-on-one service because each passport application is unique as the person requesting it. If you need your passport as fast as 24-hours, we can process that too. Get started on your passport here.

Since a travel visa isn’t a one-size-fits-all-countries endeavor, we have a dedicated page for each country, and whether or not they require a visa for entry for United States citizens. If a visa is required, we have a form that will list exactly what paperwork you need to provide us. Our agent will make the trip to the embassy on your behalf. Tap to choose your destination country.

One of the best travel hacks you can do when you’re gearing up for an international trip is outsourcing your passport and/or visa acquisition. This frees you up to plan your trip instead of standing in line. Call us today if you have any questions at 713-874-1420.

We recently ran across what many people might consider a dream job. Imagine getting paid $10,000/monthly to travel and you have slum it staying in million-dollar luxury accommodations. Sounds rough right?

THIRDHOME a luxury vacation company, announced on their Facebook page they are seeing applicants for a travel position that will send you all over the world for 3 months staying in as many as 12 different luxury vacation homes. The position will entail sharing your experience in photos and video in blog posts as well as social media. Something most of us do anyway when we travel for free!

To apply, you need to make a one-minute long video explaining why you’re the ideal person for this. Make sure your passport is valid (talk to us if it isn’t and we’ll get it renewed for you!) and get in on this opportunity.

Not something you want to do? Share this post with someone that loves to travel.

It’s #TravelTuesday!
We process passport and travel documents for individuals and corporations all over the United States. We also process travel visas for U.S. citizens to use for entry to their country or countries of destination. Here’s a collection of some of the most common questions we get about visas.

1. Do I need a visa to visit every country in the world?
Nope! Here’s a handy map that will give you a fast overview of where you need a visa for entry and where you don’t.
(click to enlarge this map)

2. Is it true U.S. visitors entering Afghanistan are photographed on entry?
No, but visitors entering the country are fingerprinted.

3. I was told that Azerbaijan does not issue visas to people of Armenian ancestry.
That is among the guidelines from the Azerbaijan government. They also will only issue a 30-day visa if arriving in Azerbaijan on Azerbaijan Airlines from a departure in the State of New York.

4. I read about a temporary visa waiver by Brazil, when does that take place?
Temporary visa waiver, for a stay up to 90 days, will be in place in 2016 between June 1 and September 18, just before and after the Summer 2016 Olympics and ParaOlympics.

7. I was told that I don’t need a visa to visit Russia now, is that accurate?
Not entirely. The 72-hour visa-free entry for international cruise ship/ferry passengers only. The requirements are very specific. You must be travelling with an organized tour and accompanied at all times by a tour operator.
American citizens may receive multiple entry visas valid for three years.

Does any industry move as fast as the travel industry? Turkey in the past 24 hours is a great example of how fast your destination change.
Here’s a recap of some of the news we shared with you this past week:

Checking out Russia’s Golden Ring
This is a must-see for your next jaunt to Russia. Steeped in history and culture, it’s not to be missed. We can help make it happen.

When does your passport expire?
Actually if you have less than six months left on your passport, your passport is expired as far as countries and airlines are concerned. Wanna know how to renew in 24 hours?

Visit us on the web at www.texastower.net. Feel free to ask questions via Twitter or Facebook .

If you’ve done it, you know traveling with kids can be a real character builder. Babies don’t really care that you’re in first class or coach if the baby is unhappy for any reason, he or she is going to scream.

Ditto for your ever-honest 4-year-old traveling companion. We were told a story of a child causing a huge panic on a transatlantic flight when he saw the reddish sunset glinting off the wing of the plane out of his window, and announced very loudly the plane was on fire!
His parents said the stink-eye they received from the both the airline staff and the passengers was pretty unnerving for the rest of the flight. Their son slept through the rest of the flight never fully realizing the panic he caused.

Here are some traveling with kids stories you may have missed this week:

Tiniest Passport We Have Ever SeenCould this be any cuter? As you know you need a passport for even a newborn to travel internationally. So these expectant parents created a tiny passport for their traveler who has not officially arrived yet. They even got Beany Baby’s passport stamped. (So named because he or she is the size of a bean).
Read the whole story here at Travel and Leisure.

She’s Not Taking the Kids Afterall
Then there are the parents that just decide traveling with little kids is way too much of a hassle. This Perth stepmother said a “paperwork bungle” prevented her from taking her two children, ages 4 and 6-years old, on a trip to Bali. So she left them at home with the front door unlocked. If you’re wondering how awesome that plan worked out, read the story here.

Excellent Tips for Traveling with ChildrenThis article lays it out for traveling with kids AND having a great time doing it. Best takeaway : pair activities with eating. You absolutely cannot go wrong on that one.

Everyone Loves Safety Tips
And finally, staying safe ensures a great time for everyone. This is a great article about keeping your kids safe when catching rides in cabs and on public transportation. See the article here.

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Disclosure

TexasTower.net is registered, but not affiliated, with the US Government for obtaining travel documents. Our service charges an additional fee to expedite your passport in 24 hours to 12 days. If you do not wish to use our services, you can obtain your passport directly from the U.S. Department of State in 4-7 weeks.